To Walking Ends, Volume I (so far)
by Reesinator711
Summary: The beginning of the story sets Zidane high in the clouds in the Red Rose, two weeks after getting back to Alexandria...
1. Vol. I - Chapter 1

Author's Note - This fic I have originally created on a different site, Final Fantasy: Worlds Apart. It has many much more features there, such as images and announcements. My friend RVTrunks has edited my story and produced it into book format, allowing me to publish it on to this site. If you'd like to see the other version, go to http://www.ffwa.org/ and click on 'Fan Fiction'. It will be in the list with a number of other fics. Anyway, Enjoy your reading! This fic is going to spawn 50 chapters, with Five Volumes. More Details will be revealed once all the first 10 Chapters are posted.  
  
To Walking Ends  
  
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Chapter 1: Unfolding Terror  
  
A rift in the clouds caused a ripple between them as a large air ship scouted through. Zidane Tribal stepped to the top of the deck of the Red Rose. "It brings back many memories to be up here." He looked around, taking in old sites as he passed them by from above.  
  
Only two weeks after his return to Alexandria, Zidane had planned this to happen. He was going to ask Queen Garnet to marry him. He decided to disguise his occasion by telling her it was just a small date he had planned for them at one spot near Dali. The townspeople had spoken about it while he was there in Dali not to long ago, so he went there to check it out.  
  
It was a very beautiful place, surrounded by arching trees and star shaped flowers. It was perfect he thought, and smiled to himself as he looked down from the edge of the rail.  
  
Garnet came to his side happier then ever to be spending some quality time with Zidane. Her face flushed rose as he looked over to her by his side. She smiled affectionately back at him.  
  
"It's beautiful out here, isn't it Garnet?" Zidane said looking out at the scenery.  
  
She took a long look at the breath-taking scenery around her, then far below she saw the town of Dali getting nearer but it was still distant. "Yes, I remember when we were here, I couldn't take my eyes off the landscape." She looked at Zidane to be quite happy that she was enjoying herself.  
  
Zidane smiled back, then, looked down to see her hand shaking. "Are you cold or something?" He said taking a glance over her.  
  
"Well now that you mention it, I am." She bundled her hands together and rubbed them to put off some heat.  
  
"Here." Zidane pulled her closer to him till her head rested at his chest. She wrapped her arms into his jacket for warmth of his body heat.  
  
"I don't know what I'd do without you Zidane." She said snuggling herself closer to him. "I'm so happy to be with you right now, knowing that all the terror has passed and we.re together. I was completely depressed when you hadn't come back for a while. but then you had found your way back to me. I'm so glad you did."  
  
Zidane was heating up inside, he felt great with her warm body touching his. "Garnet. now that I think about it I'm a little cold as well. It's summer time also, and this is starting to worry me a little. Do you think something could be wrong?"  
  
Her faced parted from his chest and looked up into his eyes despairingly. "I sure hope not. not now, after all we've done. There can't be anything." She put her head back down on his chest.  
  
"You.re probably right. Just a little chill from one of the frozen islands I guess." Zidane smiled and she smiled back.  
  
She parted from him and took his hand. "So you say this place isn't far from Dali? Did we ever go there?"  
  
He sighed and inhaled for his response, "No unfortunately we passed it by, and it is a very beautiful place. That's why I wanted to take you there."  
  
"Yes this is really nice of you to have planned this for me but." She took her arms and folded them, "Well I wouldn't be here if you hadn't of won that stupid Hunt Contest!" She coyly punched his stomach.  
  
He flinched in fake pain, then taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, maybe I should of let Vivi win and get the date!"  
  
Garnet paused and reflected on that day, Vivi had closed right up on Zidane's tail in the end, but Zidane stunningly defeated two more monsters getting the most points.  
  
"Oh come on, you know you wanted this!" Zidane said playfully.  
  
She put her hands on her hips. "That's what you want to believe!"  
  
Zidane laughed and started running to his quarters with Garnet chasing right behind. "I'll get you for that!" She yelled to him, laughing.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
The captain of the Red Rose smiled to himself as the two parted the deck. They love each other he thought, and he was glad that Zidane asked him to fly to the place near Dali. The ship was nearing the departure point for the two, where he would then wait for them a couple minutes away. He didn't mind. He liked to help new couples. And helping the Princess might get him promoted, so he was in a double-win situation.  
  
Sometime later, the ship started descending downwards from the star-lit sky to the destination Zidane had chosen. A few bumps in from turbulence awoke Garnet who was cradled in Zidane's arms. They had fallen asleep together, after being exhausted from chasing and the intimate kisses. She turned to face Zidane who was to her side. She smiled as his exhale turned white from the cold air. She snuggled in closer to him for more body heat, and to just be closer to whom she loved.  
  
Zidane opened his eyes right into hers and stared at their beauty. They seemed to sparkle in the cold air around them; they focused right into Zidane.s eyes also, as if they were smiling at him. He closed his eyes and kissed Garnet on the lips. This sent a shock of warmth through her cold body, as she was gravely cold even with Zidane by her.  
  
"Red Rose approaching destination, Queen Garnet and Master Zidane. We should arrive in a few moments." A call echoed from the intercom in their room.  
  
"I sure hope it.s warmer down there," Garnet said rubbing against Zidane to get a little more of his warmth.  
  
He didn't know why it was so cold; everyone back home had said this was the perfect day for anything. "Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't know it would be like this. I hope you.re not mad at me."  
  
She frowned at this. "Of course I'm not mad at you, it's not your fault. In a way, it's good because were even closer to each other." She contently added a kiss to his cheek making him turn red.  
  
It was so great to have her he thought, and soon she would be his wife! Well he hoped so with all his heart.  
  
A cracking of boards and short-lived scream was heard from the upper deck. Garnet shot straight up from where she was laying. "What was that!?"  
  
..AHHHH!" Another scream beckoned from one of the deck hands. Zidane got up and headed for the door, looking completely shocked as he opened it and peered out from the doorway.  
  
"ZIDANE!" Garnet screamed as the door froze to a complete crystal white.  
  
"What the hell?" He said backing away. Then the ground under him turned snow-white, the whole ship was turning to ice!  
  
Garnet got off her ice-cold bed and halfway walking slid over to Zidane. "What's happening?!" She cried tugging to him.  
  
"I don't know! But the ship is about to crash! Hurry, come with me!" He pulled her out of the room and glanced over the balcony of the ship. It was about one hundred yards from the ground, closing in fast. "We have to jump!" Zidane turned to Garnet who was pale white.  
  
"Z-I-D-" Ice was circulating up her legs. Zidane took his foot and shattered the ice that was climbing up her legs. The ice broke and then started to melt back into the ice already below them.  
  
He grabbed her, then swung her over his shoulder---and jumped. Flying through the air the two soared from the ship covered in ice to an already awaiting frozen forest. Zidane quickly casted Float (which he learned from Garnet) as he descended to the earth.  
  
Garnet got down from the hold of his arms, glancing around the land around her. "Where are we? What's happened here?"  
  
Zidane paused and looked for anything memorable. To his left he saw a sign. It read "Dali", and far beyond the sign he saw frozen houses and people, almost like they were frozen in time. "Garnet, something is seriously wrong. we have to get to Lindblum before it's to late!"  
  
She nodded as he took her hand and they started running as quickly as their legs could allow to Lindblum. There was something wrong with Gaia, deadly wrong. 


	2. Vol. I - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Lost Friend  
  
  
  
The sun slowly drifted from its proud spot in the sky to recede to the earth. The wind grew to a fiercer cold as it whipped at the faces of Garnet and Zidane.  
  
"Zidane we can't go much farther at nightfall… we need to find some kind of shelter!" She gasped at the thought of her body freezing to death.  
  
"You're right, maybe one of these mountains will have a cave big enough for us to stay the night in." Zidane said yelling over the loud gale winds. His eyes scanned the upcoming mountain to his left to see if it could provide a proper shelter for the two. He saw nothing, frowning, as he could not let them freeze death out here.  
  
"What's that?" Garnet said as she looked at a distant light in her view.  
  
Zidane looked at her to see what she was trying to see, and looked the direction she was. "It's a… house!" They both took off we each other towards the light already feeling the warmth inside their bodies just at the thought of its glow. "We're almost there!" Zidane shouted in the wind. He turned around and saw that Garnet had tripped into the snow coming down. She lied there aching in pain, holding her leg as it pain swept through it. "Garnet!" Zidane said skidding up to her. "Are you ok?"  
  
She looked up to him with a hurt statement, "Please… help me! I… can't…"  
  
He picked her up as she said so, and holding her tight. He then took off toward the house again. The door seemed to open itself as Zidane walked up to it, with Garnet in his hands.  
  
A short fellow with a staff smiled and said, "Hurry, get inside!" He looked as if he was in his early twenties though.  
  
Zidane flew in as he shut the door behind him. "Thank you sir, I greatly appreciate you for helping us through this ice storm… I didn't think we were going to make it."  
  
He smiled to Zidane and quickly noticed Garnet hurt in his hands. "Put the girl on the bed, I must heal her quickly if she has fallen into the snow and came in contact with it."  
  
Zidane grew quite scared to know that the snow could be harmful to her, so he did so placing her on the bed.  
  
"Zidane... I'm sorry for falling down back there… I could of got us both killed." She shed a tear but then winced in pain as her leg throbbed. The man took his staff and waved over the injury reciting a few words in a different language.  
  
White particles gathered around her leg, and seeped into it. Then it was done. She looked to the man and asked, "You know white magic too?"  
  
He nodded and replied, "Yes... I am one of the survivors of Madain Sari. The white magic is the only thing saving me now from the harsh winds and severe weather…" He frowned as he thought of it. "I believe this is the work of Baldwrin. He is a mage from the shadows. His magic is more powerful than white magic and black magic combined."  
  
Zidane asked in curiosity about his comment earlier, "Why was it bad that she came into contact with the snow?"  
  
Again the man frowned. "The snow is generated by a mystic force created in the sky... heaven has no control of it, and the snow is therefore evil. That means that if it should come into full contact with a person or animal, it would cause them to completely to be, because of his magic, turned to solid ice. I have been guarding my home with my white magic, blocking the force that he has created on our planet. But it's starting to fade, as the force of his rampaging ice storm grows stronger and colder."  
  
Zidane brushed his hair to the side and thought for a moment, looked down at Garnet then turned to the man again. "What can we do stop it?"  
  
The man smiled as he pulled a book from the shelf, and lightly putting it on the table. He flipped through it for a moment, and then landed at his destination. He showed the page to Zidane and explained to him. "Several crystals of the earth must be obtained in order to gain entrance to Baldwrin's castle, but after that the book says nothing on how to stop the mage." He pointed to each crystal one red, yellow, blue, orange, brown, black, and green.  
  
"We must get the stones then!" Zidane turned to the man, asking for his help in his face statement.  
  
Garnet walked up behind Zidane. "Yes, we cannot allow these things to happen to anybody!" She added to Zidane's plea for help to the man. "I would, but how? We cannot trudge the storm raging like it is!"  
  
Zidane let out a sigh as he realized the man was right. "I'll think of something…"  
  
"Well how about we discuss it tomorrow. It looks like both you and your companion are very well tired. I have a spare bedroom I can spare to you for as long as you need.  
  
" Zidane fell silent for a moment and replied, "Yes... as you speak of it I'm quite tired and Garnet has been running through this whole thing with me. We really do need the rest…"  
  
He turned to Garnet, who was standing by his side halfway awake. "Yes... I am tired too." She nodded in agreement.  
  
"Very well, the room is over there." The man pointed to a door at the left side of the room. "Thank you... and hey by the way, I forgot to ask your name?" Zidane asked.  
  
He nodded at the question and spoke, "Brookshival, but everybody who knows me calls me Brooke." He smiled at them.  
  
"Thank you then, Brooke, for helping us stay through the night." Zidane said.  
  
"You're more than welcome Zidane, and Garnet."  
  
Zidane smiled to know that Brooke had caught up on their names after hearing him and Garnet talk.  
  
"Now get some rest."  
  
"Yes, we will, thank you again Brooke," Garnet smiled and turned around to the bedroom. Zidane shut the door behind them and glanced around the room checking it out.  
  
"It will suit just fine for tonight," she said hopping into the nice warm bed. "Yeah, it is warm in here... I've missed the feeling so much." She smiled as he got into bed with her and turned to her. She got real close to him nuzzling her face right underneath his. "I'm glad you turned around to help me back there." She whispered. "I didn't think you noticed that I wasn't at your side anymore."  
  
He brushed her hair with his hand and moved it down to her back rubbing it. "I just got a feeling, the one I always do when you're not by my side. I just don't feel complete without you being with me."  
  
Garnet felt his heart pound faster as he said his last remark. "Zidane, your the world to me... I don't think I could live without you. I... I love you." She said pulling away to look into his face.  
  
A warm glow in his eyes shone through her, right into her heart. "I love you too, Garnet." With this she kissed him wholly on the lips, their bodies never parting the rest of night.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
Brooke almost felt the feeling of love seeping through from his guest room as he put out the candles. He walked to his room, where he used the force of his powerful magic to lift himself right into the bed and cover himself up. But he had a strong feeling inside him that he had saw Garnet somewhere before...  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Light from the sun was almost completely blocked by the sky when Garnet awoke and peered through the window directly across from her. She felt fear as she started thinking about the dreadful news Zidane and she acquired last night. She frowned at the thought of having to save the world all over again, but this time without knowing how to do it. A cold mist gathered around her breath, flowing from her lungs as she exhaled. She then sat back down to Zidane and rubbed up against him to get the full feel of his body, and protection. It eased her thoughts to know he was beside her. Zidane awoke to her rubbing against him, but did not let her know he was awake because he liked the feel of her body against his.  
  
Brooke knocked the door from the outside, calling "Breakfast!"  
  
They both sprouted from their grasps of each other and Garnet kissed him. "Good morning!" She laughed as he pulled her back down to him and hugged her. "Come, on get up... we got to save the world again." She said to him.  
  
The thoughts rushed back to him. "You're right, come on let's head outside. We need to talk about what were gonna do."  
  
She sighed and wiggled from the comfort of his arms and stood up stretching. He got up as well, letting out a yawn and putting his arms around her body as she held her hands up. She giggled at him, "Let me go!" Zidane stopped and took a stern face.  
  
She looked at him awkwardly as he took a bow. "Yes, your majesty. I just couldn't help myself."  
  
She laughed at him, "Oh come on silly, this is not the time to play around!"  
  
He took the hint from the last words in her sentence even if she was laughing. He focused onto all the details that were explained to him last night as she and him walked out of the room to join Brooke at the table.  
  
"Brooke…" Zidane said after swallowing a piece of food. "I think I figured out a way to get through the ice storm without getting hurt."  
  
Garnet and Brooke both looked up at him, ready to express his idea. "Go on, Zidane." Brooke replied sipping down his food with a glass of milk.  
  
"Well, Garnet and you are both white mages... and I remembered most of the spells Garnet has casted during battle. If I remember, she used Reflect causing magic to bounce off us temporarily... but with your magic combined, I thought that we might be able to create a stronger Reflect shield around us, keeping us safe as we move from location to location."  
  
They both took the thought in for a moment. "Yes, yes we can do that! It would work as long as we find stopping points along the way to rest our magic." Brooke stated heartily. "Although most of my magic has been used up guarding my house, and I have almost lost all of my magic power at the moment… do you happen to carry any ethers?"  
  
Garnet took a look in her pocket as she pulled out a small jar encased of the magical ether potion. "Yes, I have one left." She handed it to Brooke, happily waiting to be restored by the ether.  
  
"Okay then," Zidane said," let's save the world." 


	3. Vol. I - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Journey Begins  
  
  
  
Zidane's cloak fluttered in the wind as he stepped from outside Brooke's home. This time perhaps, they would not win the battle for their world. But he was not about to give up; he could not let Garnet get hurt, not now or ever. He could not let his friends die, wherever they were... he had to do this for everything he has believed in and fought with his life so willingly before.  
  
Brooke stepped to his side, and shuttered at the utter coldness that awaited them outside.  
  
"Never in my life... have I seen magic this powerful. I just hope we make it through this, Zidane."  
  
Zidane looked at Brooke, his red hair was breezing across his face, his dark penetrating eyes gazing across the landscape. "Brooke... I know how you feel. Most of the time I'm in for the fight for my life, but I have something that keeps me alive. I will not let myself fall because of her.... that's why I'm still here today." He glanced around, and then put his hands down deep into his pockets. "Getting to my point though, as long as you're with me... I will protect you both with my attacks, while you can cast magic. I will not let either of you fall victim as long as I'm with you."  
  
Brooke turned to Zidane and gave a smiling nod. "You really love her don't you? Love is a powerful thing... even more powerful than magic itself. Thank you for reassuring me that I will be protected by you."  
  
"It's my pleasure." Zidane said closing his eyes and walked back into the main room of the small house. "Garnet, have you figured out any places we can rest during the way to get the stones?"  
  
She looked up at him with toiled eyes, as her brain was much at work looking throughout the dozens of maps that Brooke had handed her. "Yes, but only a few so far. I have marked spots on these maps of where we could stay but… these are relatively old maps. Many things have changed, and it would be our unfortunate luck to find that one of them isn't there anymore."  
  
He frowned at this. It was going to be one of the toughest things he had done in his life, also the most risky. "Here you take a break, I can tell you are pretty tired from looking through the maps. Let me have a crack at them for awhile." She handed them to Zidane gratefully, and then walked over to the couch and shut her eyes desperately resting them.  
  
Brooke walked in a few moments later, closing the door as the wind raged outside. "Zidane... I have figured out a way to the first stone." Zidane looked up from his pondering and listened intently as Brooke explained. "There is an old set of tunnels beneath my home... one leads to the Azrial Valley. That is were one of the stones is located."  
  
Zidane flipped through the maps and found the place, marked that a stone belonged to it. "Yes! If we can make it to there, we have more than definite shelters after that to rest at... this will help us dearly."  
  
Garnet opened her eyes, and turned to the two. "When do we leave?" She asked, getting up from her slouched position.  
  
"As soon as possible, we can't afford to wait any longer now." Brooke replied, sounding more than ready to start this expedition to save the world.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
All three of them stepped to the porch of Brooke's house, looking over the deadly passage they had to cross in order to get to the hatch, thus leading them to the underground tunnel. A river first blocked the way, as the bridge had been torn out, chunks of ice were flowing freely and viciously down it. The last obstacle was a frozen lake, which the water had not completely frozen over yet.  
  
"Well damn," Garnet said as she glanced across the lake and river. "How are we going to get past this Zidane?"  
  
Zidane turned to her smiling. "Brooke and you cast the reflection spell, and watch."  
  
They both did as told clasping there staff and rod together, sending a blinding ray over them, encircling them in its force-field-like power.  
  
"Good, now it's my turn." Zidane took his two free hands and summoned his Float ability inside of him with all his strength. He lifted from the ground, as Garnet and Brooke watched, he grabbed them in his arms heading full strength forward. He held tightly to Garnet especially, he didn't want her to fall trying to pull this off. Brooke on the other hand held on for dear life, shocked as Zidane flew closely over the jagged ice of the river. Zidane flew criss-crossing and almost dodging each piece of ice flowing through the river. It's almost like the ice got larger and sharper tipped as it passed below him and by him. He drew more power in as he crossed from the river to the lake. It was going to be a long haul across it, one he knew he might not make. Violently he pushed forth, as the ice broke under the power of his Float. Water was pushed up from behind him as almost a ship was flowing right through the lake at a super high speed. The water swirled behind them into the completely covered sky, breaking parts in the clouds letting seeping sun come in. "Almost there," he thought, "I got to make it... for Garnet." She felt this, and hugged on more tightly to him as they flew across the lake like angels, the sun touching behind them creating a ray across the water of warm sunlight. The edge to the lake finally passed beneath them and Zidane fell to the ground. In complete exhaustion using the last of his float strength to let the other two have a nice descent to the ground, he passed out.  
  
"I can't believe he was able to do that." Brooke looked shocked; the power in Zidane was greater than anything he had ever seen in a human.  
  
Garnet ran up to him, grabbing him up from the cold earth, hugging him tightly. "Brooke hurry, we must get to the hatch now!" He cleared his thoughts and ran to her and Zidane getting one arm around him as she took one around him as well. They ran to the hatch carrying Zidane as quickly possible, not even turning back to see the beautiful sight they had forged going across the lake.  
  
Brooke waved his hand in an upward motion, lifting the hatch up from its place. It revealed the tunnel, and they slipped in carefully sliding Zidane down in as well. Brooke hurried and lit the whole entire tunnel hallway with Fira on the many old torches. He then turned to Garnet who was tending to Zidane. "Will he be alright?"  
  
She didn't look up, but nodded her head. "Yes, but I didn't believe he would get us here this fast and safe. Although it saved us a lot of time… (wiping away a tear) it could of got him killed trying to summon such magic in him."  
  
Brooke was well aware that could of happened. "He survived though, because he had a reason."  
  
She looked up this time wondering what he meant. "What is it?"  
  
Brooked smiled down at her, his face glowing from a nearby torch. "It was because he loves you, and that's his whole will to survive."  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Zidane walked through Alexandria castle, glancing through a window as a flock of doves floated by. They were always at the castle, almost like they were attracted to its magnificent crystal. Zidane smiled as he walked down the hall to see all his friends, Rusty, Amarant, Freya, Eiko, Quina, and Vivi. They all gave him a large welcoming smile as he passed them to the open the door just beyond.  
  
It opened to him finding across the room a beautiful young woman in a royal white dress. She turned from her window, and gave a huge look of surprise and smile running towards him. "Garnet!" He cried out and she jumped into his waiting hands, kissing him deeply on the lips.  
  
She pulled back, wiping away a tear of joy. "I love you Zidane!" She said, hugging him tightly.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Zidane awoke on the ground in Garnet's arms and smiled. "I love you too, Garnet."  
  
She smiled in joy as her magic had revived from his faint. "You gave me quite a worry!" She said pulling him in to her, tears flowing down her cheek onto his back.  
  
He brushed her hair with his strong hand, and positioned her in front of him. He wiped a tear flowing from her eye away with a gentle stroke, and kissed her with all his love.  
  
Brooke could have choked at the sight of this, he was into the whole romance thing, but these two had gone farther than that. They were the perfect people for each other he thought, as he had had a long time ago… "Well come now, we must get going again. We haven't the time that Zidane bought us to go to waste!" Brooke waved his hands as the two parted from each other's grasp.  
  
"Yes, let's hurry!" Zidane replied eagerly, ready to start moving again. Garnet walked with Zidane hand in hand as they trudged throughout the dimly lit tunnel to the Azrial Valley.  
  
After a long walk, a light at the end of the tunnel showed seeping through the top hatch leading out. "We did it! We're here!" Brooke shouted as the group pulled up to gaze up through the hatch.  
  
"Well this is it… it's time to retrieve the first stone." Zidane cleared his voice and headed up the ladder.  
  
"I'm going to by your side the whole way, Zidane." Garnet said as she headed up the ladder as well.  
  
"This is going to be one hell of a quest." Brooke sighed as he took his turn up the ladder. 


	4. Vol. I - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Love's Guardian  
  
  
  
Brooke poked his head over the top of the hatch as he finally cleared the ladder. "Up on that pedestal, is the blue crystal." The broken clouds above them had let some sunshine flow right on to the crystal, making it sparkle in front of them.  
  
This place was in a valley, surrounded by arching cliffs and rocks. Snow dripped off the cliffs landing on the rock floor below making a soft thud sound. Zidane still glanced around all the surroundings, searching for something that could make the crystal hard to retrieve for him. "I don't think it's safe to get it though… something could happen." He glanced back at the crystal one more time and looked at them searching their faces for an answer.  
  
Garnet shrugged, letting out a sigh. "It doesn't look like there is any danger but there's always a possibility…" She turned to Brooke looking for support on Zidane's question.  
  
He stood there for a second, thinking. "Let's give it a shot, there is no sense in standing here thinking it out, we'll never know the answer 'till we actually retrieve the crystal."  
  
Zidane nodded and they all started striding to the pedestal. A stairway flowed up to where the stone was on the large pedestal, covered by a roof supported by four detailed pillars. Zidane took a look at one of the pillars walking up, seeing a warrior with his spear, about to engage an enemy. "Hmm…" He thought to himself as he walked up the steps. "Stop!" He held out his hand and blocked the other two from going up the stairway. He took a look at the other pillar to the left of the one he saw, seeing that the blue crystal had been carved into it. The next pillar gave all the evidence he needed to know that they were already in danger. It showed a large dragon flying right from the ground into the sky. The last showed the warrior, dead with his own spear inside him.  
  
"Zidane?" Garnet touched his shoulder with her hand as he turned to her. He looked very frightened. "Run. Run as fast as you can!"  
  
A giant uprising through the ground and uproar of rocks flew high into the air as the creature came out from its slumber. Its head pointed up to the sky, but eyes completely focused on Zidane.  
  
"Go!" He shouted, grabbing the crystal and pushed the other two down the stairs.  
  
"What is that!?!?" Brooke cried out as he ran furiously back to the hatch. Zidane saw Garnet running too slow so he picked her up in his hands and went full speed. "I don't know! It's some kind of guardian! It was a trap from the beginning. We should have taken a look at the pillars. It's all my fault…"  
  
The dragon swept down right down in front of them, stopping them dead in their tracks. "No...no, no, no." Garnet whispered to Zidane as he gently put her down taking out his weapon.  
  
It spread its wings to full length, the snow from under it melting away. It spoke suddenly, catching them all off guard. "I am the Guardian of the Crystal, Telemacys. Now return the crystal, and you will not be harmed."  
  
They both turned to Zidane, wondering what he was going to do. He didn't know what this creature was going to do, but he did not want to risk either of their lives…  
  
A thought came to him. "What if I destroy the crystal?" Zidane smiled at the dragon in front of him.  
  
"That would not be wise, for that would kill us all." The guardian said.  
  
Zidane looked at Garnet, and then to Brooke, then they nodded their heads for they knew inside them what Zidane was about to pull off. Garnet took her stance, and then Brooke began focusing his magic into the glass ball above his staff. Zidane turned his head slowly back to position facing the monster, but held his head low staring at the ground. Then in the flick of his wrist the crystal left his hand and flew above him in the air.  
  
The dragon was caught off guard, startled at Zidane's action. It gained back its senses and jumped from the ground straight towards the crystal to retrieve it. Just before the dragon was about to retrieve the crystal, Brooke unleashed Stop right on it, freezing it in the sky in time, temporarily. The crystal drifted back down from the sky into Zidane's palm, he clutched it. He turned to Garnet who closed her eyes and pointed her racket to the sky.  
  
An eerie roar was heard, and the most powerful eidolon appeared breathing fire as it flew past their heads. It took a look at its prey, and snorted, as it knew it had already won. Energy gathered around Bahamut's mouth, creating a giant ball. It aimed it down at the Stopped dragon, and released its fiery rage from its mouth.  
  
At the last second, the dragon broke free from its Stop spell. It was completely unbelievable. The beam missed rushing straight into the ground, penetrating the earth. "No!!!" Garnet yelled as Telemacys swept around Bahamut in the sky, and then thrusting him straight into the ground. Bahamut fell face first knocking dirt and gravel from all around into the air.  
  
"Hahahaha, your eidolons are weak summoner," Telemycus proudly stated above her in the sky.  
  
Garnet was completely shocked at how easily the dragon had fooled them. Its power was overwhelming, even beating Bahamut. "I can' t believe this…" Garnet cried as a tear fell down to the ground, fearing that her death was soon to come.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Bahamut breathed deeply on the ground, it had failed. Garnet's tear struck the ground, and Bahamut felt it inside. Throughout its whole body, magic swept through it at a faster than normal pace. In the mist of the dust Bahamut had created when it had hit the ground, two eyes of his shown blue, penetrating through the rock and dust it was surrounded by. Bahamut stood up straight, and spread its magnificent wings out, causing all the dust surrounding it to flush away from its body, revealing the whole body of Bahamut.  
  
"What?!" Telemycus let out a roar.  
  
Bahamut shifted its eyes toward Garnet, who was still crying but smiled at her most magnificent eidolon. It then shifted its eyes back towards its enemy. Its glow shot right threw it, showing that it was not going to give up.  
  
"An eidolon in trance?" Brooke muttered to himself, looking in awe.  
  
Bahamut left the ground; everything went into slow motion as it flew up towards the Guardian of the Crystal, Telemacys. Bahamut swept by cutting straight across the chest of the guardian, it flinched back in pain for yet another strike, as Bahamut swung across for a second round.  
  
"Foolish eidolon, feeling pity for its summoner... hahaha. Your power is still no match for mine even if you are in trance!" Telemycus struck Bahamut across the head with its massive wing as he flew up for the third hit.  
  
Garnet gasped as Bahamut started to fall from the sky once again, to the ground. The legendary eidolon, beaten by a guardian. At the last moment before hitting the ground, Bahamut gained control of its freefall and used the down force to re-enter the sky once more. Blood was dripping from its wounds, but it was not going to lose this battle.  
  
"Bahamut! Thank you…!" Garnet cried into the air as Bahamut flew about twenty feet away from Telemucus, straight in front of him.  
  
Zidane and Brooke stood an awe watching Bahamut relentlessly rip Telemycus to shreds. Bahamut grasped Telemycus with its arms so it could not move, and released its fury right into it. A wave ripped into the sky, causing everything to go silent. A blue ball formed around the two dragons, and then completely blew apart causing a massive explosion in the sky.  
  
"Garnet!" Zidane jumped and pulled her to the ground to move her out of the way of the explosion. He looked back over to where Brooke was standing, and noticed had taken cover as well behind a rock.  
  
Garnet sat up crying tears in Zidane's hands. "Why did Bahamut sacrifice himself for us? I didn't think he would care… just to destroy the enemy and not get himself killed as well. But… he saved us." Garnet choked on her own tears, pulling in Zidane even more.  
  
Brooke wasn't watching them; he had walked over to where the two massive bodies lay on the ground. He noticed Telemycus dead on the ground, head blown off and all. Brooke's eyes traced over the creature and then met that of Bahamut, barely breathing, but still alive.  
  
"G-Garnet, Zidane!" Brooke shouted at the top his lungs. "Bahamut is still alive!!!"  
  
Garnet jumped completely out of Zidane's hands as she ran over to Brooke who was aiding the crippled Bahamut. "Bahamut! You're alive! Thank God!" She said, placing her hand over the head of Bahamut, using Cura to heal the large gash across his face. "He has lost quite a lot of blood, Garnet… I still don't know how he survived that." Brooke shook his head in disbelief.  
  
Trance faded from Bahamut's body, letting the rage it had created fade away. "I'm still wondering how Bahamut went into trance." Zidane said walking up behind Garnet, examining it. "It must have been trying to make up for what happened in Alexandria for you."  
  
"Well whatever it is, I'm glad you helped us for what you did Bahamut." She placed her hand on Bahamut, and returned it to its resting place she had summoned it from.  
  
They all stood there facing the lifeless body of Telemycus. As the wind blew across their faces, and chilled through their bodies, they regained senses of their quest.  
  
"The crystal, Zidane." Brooke turned to Zidane holding out his hand. Zidane took it out from his pocket; it showed blue right through his hand. Brooke took it from his hand and examined it. "There is something engraved on it... it's in old Gaia language. Hold on a minute."  
  
Zidane and Garnet peered at the crystal, watching its magnificent glow reflect everywhere. "That's weird, it says: 'Love.'" Brooke glanced up at Zidane and Garnet; they shared blank faces as well.  
  
"What does that mean? This crystal signifies Love?" Zidane pondered his thoughts aloud.  
  
"I don't know, but come on we must leave for the next crystal now. We can't waist any time!" Brooke said putting the crystal in his pocket.  
  
They all nodded and Garnet pulled out the map. Her eyes scanned across it, trying to find what direction they should depart to. "Okay... we head east, to Canyon Forge, for the brown crystal."  
  
"This time we should use caution though… the guardian of the love stone was truly powerful, almost killing us all. We have got to find another way of retrieving the stones without awaking the guardian." Zidane said as he took his first step east. He had used the sun as a reference point for direction, and the other's followed his lead.  
  
"Wait! We're unprotected right now, the blast knocked out our shield!" Garnet said grabbing his arm to halt him from walking.  
  
"Whoa, sorry Garnet. I didn't think about that…" He said looking dumbly at his feet.  
  
"It's okay, you don't have to get upset. Come on Brooke, let's cast the spell." She held her rod up high waiting for Brooke to walk over.  
  
"Yes Sarah, I'm coming." He walked over to her, and then halted in amazement of what he just said.  
  
"Sarah… how could it be? How do you know that name? Wait… it's coming back to me! I remember now!" Garnet's eyes light up, "Brooke your my brother!" Garnet flew to Brooke, hugging him tightly. "What happened… to father… to you? It's been a long time. I remember us having to part at Madain Sari… how father took you with him as he told me and mother to run."  
  
"Yes, I remember now as well. It has been a long time, but of course I'll tell you."  
  
Zidane was already right by them listening to the reunion. He wanted to see what happened on the other side of the family. Brooke and Garnet took a seat on the ground and Brooke started his story.  
  
"Father and I ran to try and help some of our friends in the village to escape after we sent mother and you in the boat. We went to Shakiea's house to find that it had been totally destroyed. After that we were running to get in another boat to try and escape as well seeing we could not rescue people if we tried… the twisters were coming down everywhere. That's when it happened… father was a little farther in front of me when we were both sucked in to a twister landing to the right of us. I grabbed a rock clinging on… but father was unfortunate, and was swept away… and… that's the last I ever saw of him." Brooke took a deep breath as he remembered that frightful day. He didn't like to talk about the city being destroyed or the death of his father, but Sarah deserved to know. "I lost my horn in an accident coming here, I tripped on a root slamming my horn into a rock. It was utterly broken, so I completely removed it. But Sarah, how was your name changed to Garnet? Why do you not have a horn as well? What has happened to you for the past years?"  
  
Garnet was still piecing together the tragedy of Madain Sari in her head, but then she began telling her side to the story. "Well, after I washed up on the shores of Alexandria…"  
  
She spoke for awhile, explaining how she lost her horn, her mother's death, becoming the princess of Alexandria, her adventure with Zidane and others, and finally becoming a queen.  
  
"That's completely amazing what you've been through… a princess, becoming a queen, saving the world…" Brooke was amazed at the highlights of Garnet' story.  
  
"Yes, but I'm afraid we must save the world again, and with your help this time Brooke." Garnet said.  
  
"Of course, but one question before we leave on our way to Canyon Forge…" Brooke glanced to Zidane then back at her.  
  
"Will it be Garnet or Sarah?" Brooke asked.  
  
Garnet took a moment to choose. "Well, let's stick with Garnet… my true name is not known by many, just us three. Now let's get going!" She stood up, Brooke and Zidane followed after.  
  
Zidane winked at Brooke, who took the hint. They both recited the phrase, "Yes, your majesty." She laughed and hugged them both.  
  
They were safe at the moment, but completely oblivious to the hazards waiting in Canyon Forge. It was going to be a total different fight than they had fought with Telemycus… 


	5. Vol. I - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Call of the Night  
  
  
  
Cold mountain air squeezed threw the opening of the cave, causing a chill through Zidane. They had stopped and took refuge in a cave waiting for the snowstorm to pass. Garnet and Zidane were laying on the floor cuddled against each other for company as Brooke laid nearby, recording the progress in his journal.  
  
Excerpt from Brooke's Journal:  
  
"Our Journey has taken refuge in a small cave, as the storm rages outside… my sister, Sarah or now known as Queen Garnet Til Alexandros, is sleeping by her close friend Zidane. A lot has changed with her from childhood… she has changed a lot… and looks somewhat different without her horn. As I have changed a lot also, it's been quite awhile since we have seen each other.  
  
  
  
Zidane and her are completely 'in love'. It's somewhat annoying to an extent, but she seems very happy with him as well with him to her. Her magic exceeds mine in summoning, but I have learned to also use Black Magic…  
  
  
  
The next stone is at Canyon Forge, although I have no clue how it will be defended this time. Although Zidane says we are taking extra precautions this time… I have a feeling well run right into a trap again. I hope all goes well. To wrap up this entry, our quest has been going very well except for the one incident with the Love Stone… but things should turn out well."  
  
Brooke slipped the journal into his traveling pack, and rested his head on it as a pillow. The fire in the cave glowed in his eyes, and he looked over to Zidane and Garnet who were snuggled comfortably together. "I hope I find someone some day," he murmured to himself, then surrendered his mind to the world of sleep.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Snow drifted down to Garnet's nose as she peered across the horizon of Alexandria. "We're going to save you Alexandria, again, just a little more time..." She drifted back and closed her eyes.  
  
"Garnet," Zidane smiled as he took her into his arms. "Don't worry, our kingdom will make it, after we get this mad man."  
  
She felt the warmth of his arms, which was unusual for a dream. "I could never do it without you, though." She turned to look at him. His eyes seemed to relax her whole body, and they started moving up from the balcony to the sky.  
  
"What's happening?" Zidane said looking from side to side as there bodies flew higher into the sky, going above the clouds.  
  
"I don't know…" Garnet said as she grabbed Zidane to hold on to him if anything happened. The two of them squinted their eyes as a magnificent blue light flowed around them. Before them, the Crystal of Love appeared.  
  
"The Crystal of Love? What's happening?" Zidane questioned himself.  
  
"Sarah, Zidane. Your dreams have been connected through my powers for a reason." The mysterious voice from the crystal said.  
  
"Why?" Zidane hesitantly asked, still bewildered that this was happening.  
  
"I am speaking to you because of something that will happen in the future, causing a rift in your love. One of you will die, unless... unless both of you both truly love each other. It will be a test for one another's emotions and protection. Be ready, for I can not help you on this test nor any other person..."  
  
"What!? What test?" Zidane uttered out at the crystal.  
  
"Be ready… for it shall happen soon. Now you shall be returned to normal dreams. Goodbye and good luck." The cryatal  
  
The stone faded away, and then everything fell to darkness around Zidane and Garnet. They both held onto each other, completely confused of their conversation with the stone and worrying about the test.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Their eyes flew open into each other, and Garnet sighed. "Zidane, what was that? What does it mean by a 'test'?"  
  
Zidane didn't know what to reply, just mumbled, "I don't know, we'll get through it though. Nothing can cause or love to be broken."  
  
She smiled at him, and he brushed her hair from the side of her face. She moved her lips up to his, and pressed against his lightly. He pulled her ever more closer, and started kissing her more passionately. Their bodies were completely content being by each other, bathing in their love and warmth.  
  
Zidane broke his lips from hers, and smiled down at her. She was completely relaxed, and nothing would ever stop making her to be with Zidane… nothing.  
  
"I will never loose you Garnet, I love you too much." He said coaxing her cheek with his hand. Her eyes never left his and she spoke, "I love you too Zidane."  
  
Zidane cuddled up next to her, and she laid her head across his chest. They both fell asleep at the same time, returning to the wonderful dreams they both had of each other.  
  
In the Morning…  
  
"Oh how cute, you two. Get up, we need to eat so we can get on with our journey again." Brooke nudged his staff into Zidane's arm and Garnet's side.  
  
Zidane yawned stretching out his body as Garnet got up from the same position she had fallen asleep in, laying on Zidane's chest.  
  
"Brooke… something happened last night." Garnet said as she looked over to Zidane, and then back to Brooke.  
  
"Huh? Did you guys ---" He said trailing off into another matter.  
  
"No! It happened in our dreams… the Crystal of Love spoke to us." Garnet said as she pulled the crystal from Brooke's travel bag. Brooke seemed confused, and didn't have a clue what Garnet meant.  
  
"What are you talking about Garnet?" He said looking confused.  
  
"We were in our dreams… Zidane and I were taken into the sky, where the crystal appeared in front of us. It told us that we were going to encounter a 'test' soon… a test that would test our love." She said, flicking the crystal to see if it would start talking again.  
  
"What happens if you fail the test?" Brooke replied after noticing it was a 'test'.  
  
Zidane replied to this one, because he did not want it to ever happen. "One of us will die." Garnet flinched, fearing death for not just her but for Zidane. "We will pass the test Garnet," Zidane put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.  
  
She eased into the grasp of his hands, "I know."  
  
Brooke stood by, piecing together the information he just received. "Do you guys think it could be about something with the next crystal?"  
  
Zidane looked over to Brooke, thinking as well. "Maybe, I don't know. The Crystal of Love said it would be soon though." Brooke turned his attention to the food he was making on the fire, and then looked up to them both again.  
  
"Well let's eat a good breakfast, then continue our Journey. I don't think there is really any way to prepare for the test. You'll only have to depend on each other's souls to pass it."  
  
"You're right. Come on Garnet, let's get some food." Zidane said motioning her over to where Brooke was placing plates of food down.  
  
"Alright." She said walking over to them both, but still her mind was separated in the fact she was still thinking about the test…  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
The sun seemed to have gotten stronger, as its light pierced through some of the dense clouds to the ground. The party's foot prints led up the path as they walked through the snow to their next destination: Canyon Forge. The Protect spell was regenerated earlier, and now a little stronger as the experience they had gained from the other encounter with Telemycus.  
  
"How much farther to Canyon Forge, Brooke?" Zidane said coming up to his side.  
  
"Not to longer, we must pass that ridge up there and cross a bridge, and the Canyon should be before us then." Brooke said pushing a log out of the way with his magic.  
  
"Good. I just hope this time we don't get hurt. Bahamut is still healing… he gave all his life energy for us." Zidane said clearing another long jump. He turned and helped Garnet over by placing his hands on her waist and lifting her over to the other side.  
  
"Thanks." She smiled at him, and they started on their way again.  
  
The trees around them bristled with snow, and seemed to quiver at the sudden climate change. Most of the trees were dead. The only ones that survived were the larger ones, but the snow had taken a lot of effect on them too. The wilderness around them was completely frozen. Nothing stirred or chirped. All that was heard was the chilling wind, which created an eerie feeling among their minds.  
  
It was lonely, not meeting new people along their quest. Before, Zidane and Garnet had encountered many new friends along the way: Vivi, Steiner, Freya, Quina, Eiko, and Amarant. They all had changed their lives, helped Zidane out of hard times---gave all their support to Garnet, realizing their own meanings. This whole quest was for their friends, they could not let them die --- nor would they let all the other innocent people suffer and die at the will of a mad man. They will not let the world die either.  
  
They walked up the hardening snow, which was turning into an even harder and slipperier ice. They reached the ridge, and looked down to the bridge below.  
  
"Hmm… well, this looks fun." Brooke said as he started pulling a cable from his pack.  
  
"Huh? How will get down this?" Zidane asked, turning to him for an explanation. Brooke shoved a pike into the ground, and tied one part of his cable to it. He then clipped the other end to his belt. He then handed a cable and pike to both of them.  
  
"As you said before, Zidane, 'watch'." He smiled and walked up to the edge of the ridge.  
  
He waved his hand and said "Buh bye," smiling as he left the top of the ridge down to the bottom.  
  
Zidane ran up to the edge and looked down. "Haha, look at him go!" Garnet came up to his side also and took a look.  
  
Brooke swung from rock to rock lowering himself down the cable. He looked up to them and shouted, "Come on children, let's not be scared now."  
  
At this, Zidane shoved his pike into the ground and strapping the cable to it and to himself also. "I'm not scared! Come on Garnet, get your cable on too." He said taking her pike and shoving it into the ground. "Like old times, haha."  
  
They both reflected to that first night on the castle, where Zidane had chased from the roof to the ship on the flag stings. It was a fun filled night, except for the part when Queen Brahne had fired upon the ship causing it to go down in the Evil Forest.  
  
"Yeah, Really!" Zidane said as Garnet hooked her cable to her belt. They both walked up to the edge and peered down at the already waiting Brooke.  
  
"Come on, I'm freezing down here!" He shouted up to them.  
  
They both took a look at each other, smiled, then Garnet said, "Come and get me!" She jumped from the edge on her descent down. Her hair blew in the wind, causing it to get messed up even more.  
  
"Anytime!" Zidane followed her down, closing in on her. She swung from rock to rock as Brooke had done, and was about to reach the bottom. Zidane swung to her side and put his arm around her. "This time, I got you!" Zidane said laughing. She laughed and they lowered themselves the rest of the way down. Brooke stood there rolling his eyes at their little scene.  
  
"Well come on let's cross the bridge already." He said pulling them by their hands towards the bridge.  
  
"Alright Brooke." Zidane said, and Brooke released their hands and they walked together towards the bridge.  
  
It seemed pretty sturdy, the fact though the bridge had been broken in some spots. If someone were to fall through it, they would end up in a huge freefall. Zidane looked over the bridge examining it closely.  
  
He got down and peered down the cliff, examining the huge drop. "Okay… it seems we're gonna have to stick to the right on the bridge. Ill go first, and just to be safe I'll tie a cable to my waist so one of you can hold onto me incase the bridge gives way. Once I reach the other side, I can save you incase you fall because I have the other end of the cable. When that person goes across, I'll just throw another cable across to the last person so they can come over."  
  
Brooke and Garnet nodded as he started tying the cable to his waste and handed the other end to Brooke. "Alright, let's do it!" Brooke said enthusiastically. Zidane smiled, and started to cross the bridge.  
  
Garnet shouted, "Be safe!" as he continued across.  
  
He smiled to himself, and he reached the other side. "Okay, I made it, now for you Brooke." Brooke nodded and tied to the cable to his waist. He began his way over the bridge, taking it slowly as it creaked, but made it across.  
  
Zidane pulled Brooke in and Brooke untied the cable from his own waist. He handed it to Zidane, and he took it from him. "Okay Garnet, it's your turn." Zidane said, chucking one end of the cable over to her. It landed at her feet, and she picked it up tying it to herself.  
  
She walked up to the bridge, and looked up to Zidane. "Zidane…" She said frightfully.  
  
"It will be okay, I have got a hold of you… now come on across." He said showing his tight grasp on his end of the cable. She nodded and smiled, but still in fear as she moved across the bridge. She smiled as she came only a couple yards away from Zidane, who was still tightly hanging on to his end of the cable.  
  
Then it happened. A board gave way under Garnet's feet; the rope bristles parting and the whole bridge gave way under her.  
  
"Garnet!" Zidane shouted as he tugged with all his might on the rope. Brooke ran to Zidane and pulled on him for extra pull on getting Garnet back up.  
  
Her head appeared after a moment of tugging and her eyes held tears as she climbed onto the cliff.  
  
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry Garnet!" Zidane said running up to her, she jumped up to hug him and they stood there for a moment in each other's grasp. "I'll never let go of you Garnet, ever." He said, as he coaxed her hair with his hand as she held her head to his chest.  
  
She didn't say anything for a while, just staying in his arms. She then broke with him and looked to him in the face, and said, "I knew in my heart you would never let me fall, you wouldn't let me go…"  
  
He kissed her softly, then wholly and passionately. "Of course I wouldn't. You're all I'll ever have."  
  
Even though Brooke wasn't to fond of having to watch all Zidane and Garnet's love stuff, he was touched by their moment together. Inside he also knew that nothing would ever part them. He would there on make sure that nothing could happen to them… he would protect them with his life.  
  
"Ok… let's start going again Zidane." Garnet said, as her emotions calmed down from her near death experience.  
  
"Ok your right, lets get going." He said, and they both walked up to Brooke.  
  
"Right then, Canyon Forge isn't but a ten minute walk from here. Let's go and check it out." Brooke said. They nodded and walked with him down the path. The wind stopped suddenly as they walked further down the path, creating another eerie sense in them all. They came upon the edge to the descent down to the canyon. "There it is." Brooke said, looking down the path to the pedestal that held the brown crystal.  
  
"Okay…" Zidane said, but was interrupted as the Crystal of Love escaped from Garnet's travel pack to the front of them. They all stared at it, waiting to see what it was going to do.  
  
"Now is the time… time for the test, the test of love…" The Crystal speaks. 


	6. Vol. I - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Lost in a Dream  
  
  
  
"Where am I? What happened to me? Where's Garnet?" Thoughts rushed rapidly through Zidane's head. He was surrounded by darkness he noticed -- only a pale light loomed in the distance. His feet grew cold on the smooth surface of the floor. He could not see his feet, for they were shrouded below his waist in the mist of the dark. "The light… what is it? Why is this part of the test?" He edged his way across the foreign floor. The light encircled him in its glow as he approached sending a warm tingling feeling through his body. His hand reached out for it, and as it touched the source of the light the room went totally pure white. He closed his eyes in the intense brightness, holding up his hand to shield them. The light then suddenly faded, and a starlit sky arose in place around him. He began his slow descent down to earth, watching birds fly past him as he touched the ground. "Garnet!" He shouted, he was confused by all of this - he just wanted to get back to her.  
  
He didn't here an answer, so he called from his heart: "Don't worry… I'm coming!"  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Garnet looked over herself to make sure nothing was wrong. She did not know where she was, just thrown somewhere on the earth by the light she had been harnessed into.  
  
"Garnet…" Her heart thumped in joy as she heard his voice throughout her. "…I'm coming." His voice echoed in her, making her feel like he was only a few feet away.  
  
She looked all around herself, not finding him. She did notice she was in a town though. A great windmill loomed from above, creaking in the night's wind. "Dali? Why am I here?" She walked over to the fence and looked across the plains, watching the flowers dance in the wind, as if going in their own rhythm. She gazed upon the sky, noticing both moons were in their full blazing potential. She only seen them once like that - when Alexandria was attacked and Alexander had protected them. "Hmm… maybe I should go to the Inn, even if this is a dream. The dream inn owner might know something." She chuckled a little to herself. But then she heard a cold laugh behind her.  
  
"Hahaha. Foolish little girl. This is no dream. What the devil are you talking about?" The man was in a long, dark black cloak, with two gold chains criss-crossing his chest. His face was invisible to her view, hindering any knowledge she might know of him. He then turned his head toward the shorter man beside him. "Load her up with the others. She should be a nice maid for the new Queen of Alexandria."  
  
The servant looked deeply at Garnet, and nodded his head in response.  
  
"But I am the Queen of Alexandria! Maid?! Never shall you speak like that to me again! This is not real anyway! It's just a dream!" Garnet raised her voice in anger at the dark cloaked man.  
  
"She may be crazy, but something about her looks like she would be a good servant anyway, John. Now grab her up and let's go!"  
  
The dark cloaked then turned away, with the bottom of the cloak fluttering in the behind him. Something about that man - his voice, his appearance, they way he moved - seemed to send a chill through Garnet.  
  
"Yes Master Frayel, as you wish." John came up to Garnet grabbing her by the waist. She fought intensely against his grip, but could not get away from his grasp. He hit her the head, knocking her out cold. This was real…  
  
  
  
*************  
  
Zidane parched himself on the bank of a tree, overlooking the landscape. It was morning now, and the soft voices of the birds rose around him to cheer on the new day."Alexandria? But how -- what happened?" He gasped as he saw it in the distance. The castle was a pitch-black color, the crystal that had glowed in its magnificence from the sun was now a dark blood red. Shadows of demons reflected from it, casting the reflection across the land around it. Zidane was blown back in horror of what happened to the kingdom. He fell to the ground, not understanding anything. How could this be a dream? It feels so real…  
  
The creak of wooden wheels interrupted his thought. It seemed to be a small caravan, but only one man was operating it. He held a cane and had only one eye, the other covered by a black patch. His horse stopped then snorted as it pulled up by Zidane. The man looked down to him, and gave a smile. "You look a little tired there boy, would you like a ride? I'm going to Alexandria for trade, if that's your destination also."  
  
"Yes! But what happened to it?! Why is the castle black and the crystal that - blood red?! What happened to Garnet?!?!?!" Zidane sputtered what he wanted to ask for the hours that he has been to this place.  
  
"Hop on and I'll tell you." He then tapped the seat by him with the cane, and Zidane pulled himself up to the seat. "It'll be at least a one and a half day ride up there, so I can tell you the story throughout that period."  
  
Zidane nodded, and the caravan drew forward once more as the horse snorted.  
  
"It all started back when that Zidane fellow and Queen Garnet were married." He took out a piece of food and munched on it as he spoke. "The kingdom was doing great. King Zidane was a nice man, too bad I don't remember what he looks like… nor do I remember Queen Garnet. Sad really to loose image of those great people."  
  
"They were married? What happened after that?" Zidane greatly grew interested in the man's story.  
  
"So anyway, this guy named, uh… oh yeah a guy named Fayel came along one day to the kingdom. He tried to enter the castle, but was forced to leave because he had no appointment with the queen or king."  
  
"Then?" Zidane questioned.  
  
"Well, he went kind of crazy on the guards, decimating them all with a bit of powerful magic." He paused, then continued. "I was there… even if I don't remember their faces… I watched the King and Queen try to stop him. None of her summons, nor his attacks could penetrate him… he was just too strong."  
  
Zidane turned his head to the ground, thinking of the tragedy that took place in this so-called dream world.  
  
"After he completely drained down all the energy of the two, he banished the two to separate parts of the world. No one has ever found them yet. People still search for them -- but don't come back from their expeditions. Now Alexandria is the controller and capital of all Gaia." He then started to chew on the remaining food in his hands. "After the king and queen were banished, he appointed a new queen, a supreme ruler of evil. Adrea." The man swiped his chin to clear it from any food that had stuck to his dark brown beard. He looked down to Zidane, looking him over to see what he was thinking about. "So boy, what's your name anyway?"  
  
Zidane slowly moved his head toward him and spoke, "Zidane."  
  
The man dropped his cane in shock. "Z-Zidane? Is that y- IT is you! Now I remember!" He stood up and took a bow.  
  
"Look, this is just a dream! You aren't even real! The crystal created you!" Zidane shouted in anger. He didn't like this dream world at all. It seemed to tangible… life-like… real…  
  
"I guess the long journey has made you quite weary. You should take a rest in the back cart of the caravan. Everyone will be so glad to know your alive! The resistance especially."  
  
The man drew his sword and held it up high. "The king is back!"  
  
Zidane didn't know what to do. He went to the back of the caravan to ponder what his next move was. This test was turning out to be more complicated then he thought…  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
A flicker of light awoke Garnet from her sleep. Her head throbbed from where she was hit by the man, John. "Oww." Her hand caressed the pain by rubbing it.  
  
"Sorry, Your Highness, for such a harsh way of bringing you here." The man in the dark cloak unveiled his face. It had a scar marked diagonally on his face, his head full of hair white. His eyes were a crystal blue, but glowed red from the inside.  
  
"W-ho?" All that was happening confused Garnet.  
  
"Am I? Thought you would remember me after taking over your whole kingdom. Haha, it's surprising you made it all the way back from the very depths of hell! I'm Frayel, the Queen's loyal knight and servant. I bet you want to know what's happening to you, huh?" His face smirked as Garnet's eyes yearned for help. "Oh now you remember don't you? Is that what kept you alive so long? Haha, love to break it to you, Zidane never came back!" He waited in anticipation to see the over overthrown queen's response.  
  
"No, what happened to Zidane! Where is he! Are you a part of this test!?" She threw her arms back in complete anger and confusion.  
  
"Test? What test? Looks like you turned into a wacko or something from all that wandering. Who knows what happened to Zidane? Now that your back, you can be a one of the maids for the castle, hahaha!"  
  
Garnet didn't know what to think - she just wanted to escape. To escape the dream or test, whatever it was. She wanted to be with Zidane. Her heart called out for him, almost exploding in not being able to see him with her, not in his hands. 


	7. Vol. I - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Confrontation  
  
  
  
Brooke found himself alone as he faced the fierce winds of the cold. He dragged the dream-state bodies of Garnet and Zidane into a cave he had found near the valley. "Well looks like I'll just have to wait," Brooke said as he covered their two bodies together with his blanket. He picked up remaining blanket nearby, and enclosed himself with it. His mind raced with thoughts, he had tried everything to wake the two from their sleep after the crystal took their minds to the "test world". As he lie there, he listened to the wind speak as it hurled its self on the walls of the outer cave.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
The moons, the stars, the world. The test. It was all too complicated to Zidane. The caravan rocked back and forth across the rough terrain heading to Alexandria. He blinked blankfully as he stared up into the night sky. The caravan came to a stop.  
  
"King Zidane? Would you like to meet the resistance? We could probably help you find Queen Garnet that way. You're probably the only one that can find her though. If you want, we can assist you with supplies and men… we're with you all the way."  
  
Zidane leaned over the edge of the caravan and stared at the ground watching dust being kicked throughout the air. Garnet. He sighed to himself, she was the main thing on his mind ever since the test had started.  
  
"What's your name?" Zidane looked up, leaving his realm of thought.  
  
The man paused, a little confused why Zidane had changed the subject. "Reese, Commander of the resistance. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. But what bout' the men and supp-"  
  
Zidane interrupted him midway. "She's here in Alexandria, I can feel it. I know she's here." Zidane walked up and took a seat by Reese. He covered himself from a blanket he had pulled from the back of the cart as the air grew chillier in the night. The caravan started to move again.  
  
"All right then, thy King has come back then. Now he must be reunited with the Queen. The resistance will be ready within an hour of our arrival." Reese whistled to the horse, which made it increase the level of speed it was currently trotting at.  
  
Zidane shifted in his seat as he saw the towers banking the outside wall. The waterfall came into view, and they started to pass over a bridge. The cobblestone rattled violently under the wheels of the caravan, awakening the night with howls from the disturbance.  
  
"Who goes there?!" A voice erupted from a small post on the other side of the bridge.  
  
"It is I, Reese. I am coming on trade business only, let me pass." Reese gestured with his hand to open the gates for the caravan.  
  
"Stop! Who art riding with thee?" A man in ironclad walked from the post towards the caravan. He carried a large broadsword that was swung back on his shoulder. It seemed to glow a light blue and red from the two moons.  
  
"My apprentice, young Zid… Zid." Reese almost blew Zidane's cover, but then corrected himself.  
  
"Zid? That's an odd name. Well I guess people are trying to be original these days, let 'em on through!" The man in ironclad turned around abruptly, then went back to his post. A man then cranked the doors open with a lever, opening the final road to Alexandria.  
  
"Here we go," Reese muttered under his breath. He waved a hand to the guard as he passed. The caravan rocked up a hill, and headed down the rocky path towards the town below the grand castle. Suddenly the caravan stopped as Reese let out a call to the horse.  
  
"Now it's time to meet the resistance," Reese happily stated as he jumped from his seat.  
  
He thrusted some brush and leaves aside, revealing an alternative path in a different direction. He jumped back into seat and yelled "Heyah!" to the horse. The caravan swung from the original path to the alternative.  
  
Zidane looked suspiciously around him, searching for any signs that the resistance was located here. After a couple of moments, Zidane grew impatient. "Well where is the resistance located at?" He grumbled impatiently.  
  
Reese gave a smirk as they pulled up to a large, red oak tree. A green door was located at the base, with a carved out window to look through about mid- top. He stepped down from his position once more, and took a deep breath of the fresh air. "Ah, it's great to be back. Come on, your highness! Many people have been dreaming of this day to come! The king is back!" He rose himself high, knocking proudly on the door. A voice from the inside answered.  
  
"Commander, is that you?"  
  
The door opened to them. A stairway leading downwards was seen from behind him inside the door, lighted by a series of glistening torches. "It is I, Commander Reese! The King of Alexandria has returned! Zidane is back!" Reese marched down the stairway letting out yells of the presence of Zidane.  
  
The man from the doorway dropped his drink to the ground and jaw swung open as he saw Zidane walking up to him. He regained his senses, and kneeled down before Zidane. "Your Highness," the man stood up from his bow. "It is your faithful servant, Mercutio!"  
  
"Mercutio?" Zidane cleansed through his thoughts, trying to grasp the name if he had ever met this man in the real world before. Something about the name jabbed itself in his mind, but he did not fully understand why. "I remember you… It's been to long to know, though."  
  
"Quite! Come master Zidane, the rest of the resistance and Commander Reese wait below." He motioned with his hands down the stairway inside of the door located on in the tree. "Alright, let's go."  
  
Zidane descended with his so called servant downwards, into the depths of the tree.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Garnet lay in her new room, the maid's quarters. "This whole test is terrible. Where's Zidane? What happened to him? I have to escape, I have to find him." She sat up from her thoughts and looked out her window. The pale light flowed through her room, casting a shadow of the bed and her body. She opened the hatches and looked downwards. She was in the northeast tower, she figured as she examined the surroundings below her.  
  
The door opened to her room, and she turned quickly away from the window to see her new guest.  
  
"Thinking of escape, I see?" Frayel laughed to himself as he walked over. He brushed her cheek with his hand softly, but she turned away looking down at her feet. He then gave another laugh, kneeling down. "It is not possible, so why try? This whole castle has summon defense, so you cannot summon anything here even if you tried. Or were you thinking of jumping? Haha, only a fool like you could perceive a thought like that!" Frayel stood up from his kneeling position and stared down at her coldly. "Your work begins tomorrow, you will also meet the Queen of Alexandria then as well." He turned from her and left the room, his cloak dragging out of sight.  
  
"Now… I have to leave now!" She hollered throughout her mind. She rose to her feet, and lightly walked up to her bedroom door. She glanced around the corner, looking for any guards near her room. Frayel was down the left hallway talking to a guard and the other two were to the right, playing black jack but one was hollering at the other. "I need a distraction, or a disguise, or something…" She thought to herself. She raced back inside the containments of her room. Something, she thought, could be done to get out. A thought came to mind…  
  
"Guard, Guard! I need another sheet. Mine is torn. I can't cover the bed and I'm really cold…" She took the mop stick from the corner of the room and waited for the guard to enter.  
  
He came in with the sheet in his hands. "What is it now and wha-?!"  
  
Garnet swiped his head with the stick, smiling to herself she was able to pull of something so devious. She took the clothes from the unconscious guard, leaving him in his trousers. She then covered herself with the guard's clothes, and they didn't exactly fit but they would do.  
  
"Good, the guards didn't hear me. Now I can go." She said to herself softly. She flapped up the collar on the guard uniform to cover the lower part of her face. She then swung the ark-shaped hat over her head to cover her hair.  
  
Looking out from her door, she saw that Frayel was gone and it was just the other two guards at the other end of the right hallway. She snuck across the hallway but really didn't have to since the other two guards were so wrapped up in their card game. Moving on, Garnet descended down the stairs to the first floor of the castle. It opened up into the courtyard. Surprisingly, no one was outside guarding the courtyard.  
  
"Almost too easy…" She said to herself. She cautiously moved forward, checking around herself for anyone that might catch her.  
  
"You there! Where are you going?! Why aren't you at your post?" She froze abruptly as another guard that was stationed in the distance caught her.  
  
She tried to talk in a manly tone, "Sorry, just gettin' some stuff for Frayel up there."  
  
The guard smiled to himself. His body started to glow a red orange, and then revealed himself to be Frayel, disguised as a guard. He walked up slowly to the stunned Queen, who fell to the ground. "What could this be? A runaway?" He slowly removed the helmet from Garnet's hair, revealing it's beauty in the night. "Why would you want to disguise such a beautiful face and hair?" He bent down to her once more, seeming to be entertained when he talked to her.  
  
She didn't care anymore, it wasn't real right? She couldn't be hurt. Pushing him out of the way, she dashed from him running to the outer gate of the castle.  
  
"Haha, I see you really don't like what we've done with the place here." Frayel waved his hand in the air, and stopped Garnet in mid-tracks, taking her from the ground and moving her over to him.  
  
She looked down at him, "Let me go!!"  
  
"That wasn't very nice of you, now was it Queen?" He smacked her across the face, leaving it a rough red. She felt the pain - it was real…  
  
"Owww..." She cried in pain.  
  
"You know, I think this calls for a punishment huh?" He started to circle her floating body.  
  
"What could we do………… kill you?" He came around back to the front of her and gave one last smile. 


	8. Vol. I - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: From Death to Life  
  
  
  
A breeze swept through the tree flowing across everyone's bodies. Zidane had taken a seat amongst the rest of the resistance, scanning across each one of them. Most looked like commoners from Alexandria, but some stuck out as if they were nobles.  
  
"King Zidane, it is an honor to finally meet you!" A man came up to him, quite a heavy build, and knelt on the ground.  
  
"Is that you Steiner?!" Zidane asked, scratching his head through his tangled hair.  
  
"I'm the son of Adelbert Steiner, captain of the Knights of Pluto. But, my father had passed away a couple years ago… he talked about you and the queen so much." He stood up, and removed his helmet. He was young, but he looked like Steiner.  
  
"He… died?" Zidane looked confused. This world he was in must be more than just a test - it seemed as if it was it was telling him about some kind of alternate future also.  
  
"Yes… but I don't like to talk about it. Everyone told me he was a great man, the best knight in all the land. I have a lot to live up to." He noticed that Zidane was still confused about something by the statement on his face.  
  
"…She's still alive." He looked over his shoulder, as Beatrix walked up to the both of them.  
  
"Zidane!" She ran over to him and hugged him. "I can't believe it… your back!"  
  
Zidane hugged her back. He finally had found someone familiar, a close friend that he knew in this world.  
  
She looked at him with a bit of surprise on her face. "You haven't aged at all. And look at me, thirty-seven!"  
  
She had taken some age, but seemed to be her usual self. "You still look like the same Beatrix I knew. I'm glad I was fortunate to see you again!" Zidane said.  
  
She looked to her side and put an arm around her son. "So you met my son. Spitting image of him, isn't he?"  
  
Zidane smiled to her in agreement.  
  
"But you know now… he passed away 6 years ago. I was with him, he was only 42 years old… We had been married and had our only son, Jacob Aldebert Steiner." A small tear flowed from her eye as she said that, but she whipped it away quickly.  
  
Zidane gave them both a hug, "I'm sorry Beatrix… he was one of my best friends." So this must be nine years in the future. Zidane thought to himself.  
  
She pulled away from him and looked at the other people nearby watching them. "But now down to the real reason you came here. We have to save Garnet, right?"  
  
Zidane let his mind focus back on Garnet. "Yes!" He paused for a moment then continued, "And I can feel her heart – she's close. I think she's in the castle."  
  
"Then it is time Zidane, for you and the queen to be reunited, and defeat the new queen and Frayel. Return Alexandria to the rightful rulers!" She smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. "Take my sword, as I see you have not been equipped. I have a backup sword, Ragnarok, The one he had used. Jacob and I will assist you all the way." She unsheathed 'Save the Queen', and held the sword out to Zidane.  
  
He stood up and grabbed the handle, feeling the power from the sword flow into him. " "'Save the Queen' - the name says it all. It's different from my daggers or my dual-bladed polearms, but this is an honor. Zidane held it high in the air. All the others in the room were watching. "Time to bring my beloved Queen back!"  
  
*************  
  
  
  
"What are you doing to me?!?!" Garnet cried out at Frayel who was dragging her along the dungeon floor.  
  
"He's coming. I sense it." He waved his hand knocking the door straight in front of them out of the way into the side wall.  
  
"I know! He's going to save me and kill you, you bastard!" Her head slammed on the ground as he let go of her.  
  
"Hahahahah! You are truly a fool, Garnet. Zidane is no match for me - I proved to both of you long ago. The resistance might bring a little more of a fight along with him – but… hahaha!"  
  
Garnet rose to her feet on the ground and started to run back to the entrance of the dungeon. "Zidane!" She held out her hand and leapt forward to the doorway as she started flowing backwards through the air.  
  
"Maybe I should make this a little more interesting…" Frayel said as he grasped Garnet back into his hands and pulled her down the hallway.  
  
A black door opened to his right, opening to a large room. She couldn't see all the way in, but could feel a supreme heat perspiring from it. He continued to drag her into the room, revealing where the heat was coming from - a pit of lava below. She gasped as she saw the molten rock swirl and explode in short gasps below her. The glow of it reflected from her fearful eyes.  
  
Frayel smiled in her fear. "You remember the extinct volcano from your journeys a long time ago, don't you?" He kneeled down so he was face to face with her.  
  
"M-Mount Gulug?" She hesitated as she started picking up what he was saying.  
  
  
  
"Haha, yes. Well I decided it needed a little more volcanic life. My magic shifted the earth so the mountain was directly above a hot spot. And guess what? I had a tunnel built all the way back to the castle for this very room. I had a feeling that one day you would return, as well as Zidane. This is how you will both die." He stood up again and smiled. "Of course, I'll give him a fair chance to save you. Haha, but the time is ticking. When the sun is set and the moons eclipse tonight, you shall be melting to death. That is, if he can't find a way to save you." He put the hood of his cloak back up, hiding his face. "Farewell Princess. I enjoyed my time with you." He motioned his hand from her body to the chain wailing from the ceiling above them. She was lifted off her feet and swung up to the chain, where it wrapped around her body.  
  
She dangled from the ceiling yelling in fright. "No! Zidane! Please - help me!"  
  
Frayel gave a dark laugh then turned from her and exited through the black door. It closed behind him, also closing out anyone else that should come to save her…  
  
  
  
*************  
  
The bold shining sun was receding, giving into the grasp of night. Zidane sat on the first caravan out of the other five heading to the city. The plan was in motion - he was going to get Garnet. The rattling wheels below him relaxed his tense body. He didn't know what to expect when he reached the castle. All he knew was that he was going to get her back.  
  
The gates of Alexandria appeared before him. The caravan abruptly stopped, and a demon with a sword came out from the guard post. "Humans aren't allowed after the first tower unless for reasons of trading! Is that what you're here for?!" He held his sword up to Zidane's throat. Zidane smiled down at the demon as it looked into his eyes. The monster stepped back in fear as Zidane stepped down from the caravan. "The human k-king?!" He ran towards Zidane with the sword strung high at him.  
  
Zidane dodged the sword gracefully, then grabbed it from the demons hands and shoved it right back into the tarnished flesh of its body. "I'm getting her back." Zidane said with seriousness. The demon gave a cold stare as it fell to its death on the ground.  
  
The caravans of the resistance unloaded the men, each with armor and swords. Beatrix and Jacob, followed by Reese, walked up to Zidane. "Us three will assist you in the fight inside the castle. The rest of the resistance will take on the monsters guarding the city. Let's go!"  
  
Zidane nodded his head. The gates to city were pulled aside, revealing a large group of monsters dispatched to find out what the problem was outside.  
  
"Here we go! Charge!! Jacob yelled as the four were followed by the rest of the resistance, and swung into battle.  
  
The demons dropped by twos as the resistance swept through them towards the castle. There was shouting and sounds of swords slicing armor and flesh. Zidane was piercing the demons, untouched with 'Save the Queen', nothing was prevailing to even knick him. Jacob was just as good a fighter as Steiner was. His skills matched that of his father. He was very skilled for a thirteen year-old. Beatrix was moving alongside Zidane, destroying monsters crazily as Zidane was.  
  
The castle rose before them as they approached, the four towers reaching into the sky. The crystal that was once magnificent in its holy glow, was stained with blood and showed how the city had fallen to such evil.  
  
"Zidane… we need to be careful!" Beatrix shouted, trying to overcome all the other war cries, as she walked up to his side.  
  
"I'm going to get her back!" His tail flicked from side to side. The large castle door opened to him, revealing a man in a hooded cloak.  
  
"King of country, savior of Alexandria, husband of the Queen. Hmmm… so it really is you." The man spoke as he walked towards the two of them. Jacob and Reese joined them as the man neared Zidane. The man unveiled his face as he took the hood off. "Beatrix, you're still alive? Haha. Nice to meet you once again." He gave a dark smile at her, and looked across to the others. "Could that be Steiner?"  
  
"No, Frayel! I am his son, and I shall vanquish you… you dirty bastard!" He pulled his sword from his sheath.  
  
"Oh I see." Frayel waved his hand, knocking the sword from Jacob's hand.  
  
Jacob ran back to where it laid and picked it up.  
  
"Why don't you all just go back to your little hideout? You have no chance against me." Frayel said with such confidence.  
  
Zidane stepped forward. "Step aside, I'm getting Garnet."  
  
"Do you not remember me? Frayel? The man who sent you to the depths of hell in this world? Haha, same as the queen I see." Frayel pulled a dark blue sword from his back where it was latched on. "What about a duel?" Frayel smiled as he saw the moons in the sky nearing each other.  
  
"Then that's what we will do." Zidane looked at the others and motion for them to get back. "I can do this. Don't interfere." They all nodded and then stepped back. Zidane swung the legendary sword from its socket.  
  
"'Save the Queen'? Haven't seen that girl in awhile. No matter. You shall perish this time for good! " Frayel smiled as he looked at Beatrix.  
  
"No more talk." Zidane jumped into the air, swinging his sword in the downwards position. Frayel leapt aside just as quickly, evading the attack. He swung his sword at the recovering Zidane, slicing his shoulder. Blood edged its way from the wound down his arm. Zidane brought his sword back and rushed at Frayel again. This time he was more successful, puncturing Frayel's right arm.  
  
"Haha, good show!" Frayel laughed. "But no more play." The blue sword started to shine an eerie glow as he pointed it at Zidane.  
  
Frayel struck at Zidane, but Zidane retaliated with 'Save the Queen'. The force of the two swords clashing sent Zidane flying straight back into a building, crashing through boards in the process.  
  
"No!" All of them let out a cry as they saw this.  
  
"Looks like I win… again." Frayel said as he sheathed his sword. "Haha, what a fool." He started to walk back into the castle as monsters flowed out and completely surround Beatrix, Jacob, and Reese.  
  
"What are we gonna do, mom?" Jacob said, glancing around himself.  
  
"Fight for your life!" Beatrix yelled.  
  
They let out a battle cry, but everyone stopped stunned. The house where Zidane was thrown into suddenly exploded in a bright light. A Grand Lethal swept across the monsters surrounding the three of them.  
  
"Z-Zidane!" Reese pointed out as the form of his body showed throughout the dirt and mist that was thrown into the air. Zidane's clothes were all torn and dirt covered. He had several cuts on him, dripping blood. He was in Trance!  
  
"Frayel!" The voice in the shroud ringed into his ears.  
  
"Wha-?" Frayel turned around stunned. As he looked into Zidane's eyes, he knew he was dead already. 'Save the Queen' had entered his heart, releasing his soul to death. "I can't believe it - y-you got me." Frayel fell to his knees. Zidane pulled the sword from him, blood dripping from the legendary blade.  
  
"Why…? I… should have just killed you before. But… no matter. There's not much time. Ha... ha, s-she's in the dungeon… the moons are almost together! You… won't make it. You can't… save her… you're… too late! HAHAHAHA!!" At that, Frayel collapsed and died.  
  
"I am going to get her back. Nothing can stop my feelings for her," Zidane said looking down at him, still in Trance. "Take care you three. This is probably goodbye for now. I am actually not from this world, but another that is nine years in the past. I somehow came here by some kind of a test, and I am looking to get Garnet back. She was sent here too, and we were split up. I'm sorry. I must go now. Good luck my friends…" Zidane said to Beatrix, Jacob, and Reese, turned away. Zidane did not want to see them cry.  
  
"Zidane…" Beatrix shed a tear. "Take care, and find your Garnet. We will win this battle. I promise we'll get the kingdom back and find the other Garnet, and you. It was great to see you again. Thanks for everything. Goodbye… Zidane." Beatrix said and then ran off to fight more demons.  
  
"It was nice to meet you, King Zidane. I shall fight with the spirit of my father within me. Good luck!" Jacob said and ran off, following Beatrix.  
  
"Good luck, my friend. King of Alexandria." Reese said to Zidane and followed after Jacob and Beatrix.  
  
At that, Zidane flew down the hallway as fast as he could, opening to the dungeon. He ran down the stairway, searching for where she could be. He called out to her, "Garnet?! Garnet?!" There was no answer but he kept running. He was especially fast because he was in Trance. The walls whizzed past him as he searched desperately from side to side. Zidane knew he did not have much time, but he was not about to give up.  
  
Finally, the black door confronted him as he ran up to him. He heard her voice - she was screaming.  
  
"Garnet! I'm coming!" With a flash of his new sword, the door split into two revealing the room. Garnet yelled in terror as her body was nearing the lava.  
  
"Hold on, Garnet!!" Zidane looked all around him for something to use. A rope that was also connected to the ceiling near Garnet's flowed down near him. He grabbed it, and tied it to himself.  
  
"Zidane!" She screamed.  
  
He looked into her eyes - then jumped. Time went into slow motion as he flew across the lava. His eyes never left hers, as he swung up to her, grasping her into his arms. Everything went to white. 


	9. Vol. I - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Journey Continues  
  
  
  
Garnet's long, dark hair swayed back in the light breeze. She was crying, but not because she was mad - she had him back. The two of them were in each other's arms, holding tightly after such chaos they had suffered just before. "Zidane…" She took her head from his chest, and stared lovingly into the abyss of his eyes. "I was getting scared… scared that you wouldn't come. But you did. I love you!" She threw herself back into him holding him so close to her.  
  
He smiled and caressed her hair. His warm skin lit up her body, reflecting the cold that was coming dangerously from the outside of the cave. "I love you to, Garnet!" His tail wrapped around her happily, tickling her back as it rubbed her.  
  
"Ahem…" Brooke stood up from his sleeping bag, and stared at them. "So you passed the test? I was so worried for you to. You just dropped out cold and I couldn't wake you up!"  
  
He came over to them gave them both a hug.  
  
"So where are we, Brooke?" Garnet looked to the outside of the cave, where the white mess of snow flowed amongst the walls then receded back out.  
  
"I dragged you both to this cave I found, near the brown crystal. It's been at least two days since you guys "dropped out" - so I have been really bored. Are you both ready to get the next crystal or what?" Brooke frowned at the both of them as they were still hugging.  
  
"Oh come on guys." He started to pack up his things as Garnet and Zidane joined together in a sweet kiss.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
The three of them exited the cave with the massive Reflect spell cast. The colors of the spells swirled around them, then went faint so they could see through it.  
  
"Okay, it's only a little walk from here back to the valley." Brooke took the lead in front of the party, poking his staff along the ground as he trudged through the thick layer of snow. The snow had been rendered magic- less from the Reflect spell. The evil magic was bouncing off of them.  
  
Zidane and Garnet walked side-by-side, hand-in-hand as they walked behind Brooke. The sky was densely covered in the white fluffy clouds, letting in only partial amounts of sunlight.  
  
The Valley Forge appeared before them, the large Brown Crystal in the center. The land was rocky, but the slope they were walking on provided a zigzagging path to the bottom.  
  
Brooke leaned over and scanned across the shape of the valley. "We have to be on our guard this time - Bahamut took a very bad beating last time." Brooke commented, rubbing the crystal ball located on the top of his Mace of Zeus.  
  
"I would never let that happen to him ever again." Garnet felt the eidolon inside her tingle throughout her body.  
  
Zidane walked over to Brooke, holding out his hand with the Crystal of Love. "What if the Brown Crystal has a meaning to it also, like the Crystal of Love? There might be another chance we'd wind up in some kind of test again!" He fumbled the blue crystal between his fingers, looking deep inside of it.  
  
"I know - I don't think it would be another test though. I think every crystal or stone we  
  
will get has a meaning associated with it. I guess that's the only way we will prevail to get to that sorcerer." Brooke put one of his hands in his pocket, and then pulled out three elixers.  
  
"Each one of us should carry one of these - just in case we encounter a tough guardian. We can't take any chances." He handed them both one, then put the other back in his pocket.  
  
"Alright, so let's think this out," Zidane looked over to Garnet then back to Brooke, "I'll go in and grab the crystal, then run like hell back to you guys. That way you can be standing by to help me out of harms way with your magic." He looked back over to Garnet. She wasn't smiling at all to this suggestion, she looked very unhappy.  
  
"But… I don't want to leave your side Zidane. What if we loose you?!" She ran over to him and hugged him closely.  
  
"I'll be fine as long as this plan works. Now come on, we don't have much time left to save Gaia!"  
  
She let go of him then, still a bit relentless. "A-Alright. If you say so, let's do it!" She moved over to the edge where the slope started.  
  
Brooke walked over to her, and then parted to the right. "Okay we're in place Zidane. Now go get that crystal!"  
  
Zidane nodded his head than began his descent down the valley. He cut the time short down the path by jumping from rock to rock, finally reaching the bottom. The ground was slippery under his feet, very cold from the newly fallen snow. He looked back up to the two of them, and smiled and waved. "What am I doing? I always take the initiative on this stuff… well, guess I can't change what I already set in motion." Thoughts raced in his head as the crystal edged into his view before him. His eyes focused in on the Brown Crystal. His senses seemed to dull as he neared himself to it. "Here goes nothing." His hands found the crystal, and lifted it from the pedestal. "Ha!" He jumped to the side evading if something should jump out.  
  
Looking around for a moment, he noticed nothing was happening. "Huh? Did little guardian want some more shut-eye?" He smiled at his victory and started back to where Garnet and Brooke were standing.  
  
"Well that was sure easy." Brooked smiled to Garnet, "Thank God, huh?"  
  
She smiled too but kept her eyes on Zidane, still watching him closely as he came up to them. "Yeah, but still -" She saw the pedestal crumbling behind Zidane. "No! Zidane look!" She yelled out pointing behind him.  
  
The snow and dirt sputtered into the air, chunks flying left and right. The sky rumbled and split apart revealing the bright orange summer sun. The clouds created a large circle around the valley, kind of like an eye in a hurricane.  
  
"What's happening?" Zidane yelled up to them as he ran up the slope.  
  
He ran up into Garnet's arms, as she was pointing at the ground breaking away inside the valley.  
  
"I think something's coming up from under the ground!" Brooke called out over the noise of the collapsing earth.  
  
Tops of houses rose from the ground out into the sunlight, the shingles glaring from the sun. A small town had rose from the ground in the center of the valley…  
  
People came out from the doors, and looked around. A black mage, similar to Vivi came out from the house nearest from them. "Zidane! Garnet! You're here?! Thank God!" He called up to them from the town. "Come down, it's me - Xander, Vivi's son!" 


	10. Vol. I - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Black Mage in Trabathia  
  
"Xander? My god it has been long!" Zidane swooped down from the last remaining rock sheered up from the ground. Garnet and Brooke followed close behind, Zidane helping Garnet down as he reached the bottom. They all walked up to Xander, one of Vivi's sons who was standing at the edge house of the town. Zidane walked up to him and gave him a pat on the back. "Hey buddy, how's it going --- err, and what the hell is this place?" Zidane's eyes abandoned his attention from Xander, and stated glancing around him. He marveled the architecture of the town as it shimmered in the beautiful presence of the once imprisoned light. The sun was a savior to all of them, they had missed it so.  
  
"Yes, well I'll explain everything - this is the town of Trabathia! Please everyone, come inside!" Xander waved his hand towards the door, and walked in. He sat down at the ivory table. The white glowed in perfection as it gleamed off everyone's eyes. The whole house was a work of art -- colorful and vibrant paintings, silver chairs with plush velvet cushions, statues of knights, and much more.  
  
"Amazing!" Brooke almost tripped over himself as he looked over each masterpiece.  
  
"Thank you. I've been collecting these works of art ever since I was born -- somehow they bring out the life in me, something my dad always told me, which was the most important thing."  
  
Zidane and Garnet took a seat at the table with him, happily greeting the chairs for comfort.  
  
Xander lifted himself up in the chair and looked at Brooke who also sat down with them. "Okay," Xander laid his staff down on the table and continued, "So you must be the Crystal Collectors. Saving the world again, eh Zidane?"  
  
Zidane smiled to Xander, "Looks like it. So why in the world did this town just come from nowhere? Did it have something to do with this stone?" Zidane took the crystal from his pocket, and held it in front of Xander.  
  
"Yes, quite so. The stone has the power of protection -- you triggered it when it was joined in the presence of the Blue Crystal -- but this town was not always underground. The guardian of the crystal submerged this town, but was later destroyed after a traveler named Fratley came through. He was a nice fellow -- but we could not lift the city from underground. It has stayed this way ever since and has provided us refuge from the chaos that has been born outside from this evil." He took a deep breath as he continued the explanation. "So when you came here, the crystal's were brought together. Each stone has a connection with one another." Xander cleared his throat after speaking, and then took a drink of water he had poured himself on the table. "Apparently the Blue Crystal and Brown Crystal have a relationship." He gestured his hand towards the two crystals Zidane had laid on the table. Both crystals shined with purity, their essence flowed around everyone in the room.  
  
Everyone peered into the the stones on the table -- pondering what the relationship could be....  
  
"Well… we'll decide all this tomorrow! There will be a celebration starting tonight since the Crystal Collectors have come. Preparations have already begun. So how about I show everyone their rooms so they can get cleaned up." Xander lifted up from his seat at the table and pointed everyone up the stairway.  
  
"Party?" Brooke looked curiously out the window. Xander ran over and shut the curtains impairing Brooke's view to the outside.  
  
"Haha, yes! But you cannot see 'til all the preparations are done. I will come to get you guys when everything's ready. Okay now, up the stairway!" He pushed the reluctant Brooke up the stairway. Zidane and Garnet waited at the top looking at them as they came up. Xander walked ahead and pointed to the first door at the right. "Zidane, Garnet, this can be your room to share - if that's okay with you. We could have Brooke and Zidane together and have the girl sleep by herself…"  
  
Garnet cut him off. "No, no. That will be fine." She put her arm around Zidane's arm and a big grin came to his face.  
  
"Oh… I see. Well Brooke, looks like you're stuck by yourself in this room." He pointed down the hallway to the right room.  
  
Brooke nodded and made his way down to where Xander pointed. Brooke looked back to them before he receded into his room, "Party time!" He then went to his room setting down his backpack with much excitement.  
  
Zidane laughed at that, "What a character he is. I really thought he didn't like parties by the way he acted. Guess everyone has a different side to them." He pulled Garnet with him into the room with him. "Why don't you take a bath right now and I'll get the clothes washed. Then I'll take one and we can head out to the celebration with Xander."  
  
Garnet nodded, "Alrighty!" She smiled that she used the first slang word that she had learned with Zidane in Dali.  
  
Zidane smiled at this too, walking over to her. His face grew serious as he came up to her. "I haven't mentioned this yet - but I have been meaning to. Did Frayel ever harm you while we were doing the test?"  
  
Her face fell down, into a hurtful statement. "He… he did hit me. Called me many things - the reason that got me through the test, was thinking of you. You rescued me." Her face lit up brightly into his. His body grew warm as she edged into him. "Yet, I still haven't given you the proper thanking…" Her face met his, her plush rosy skin rubbing across the side of his face. Moving down, her mouth found his and they passionately kissed.  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Brooke came out into the hallway, glancing across to see if Zidane and Garnet have came out of their room yet.  
  
Their door opened, and the smiling Zidane walked out. "Ready for the party, Booke?"  
  
"Oh I know why your smiling." Brooke flashed a smile as he walked over to him. Garnet walked out, a little red as she had heard Brooke.  
  
Xander ran up the stairway, and called out to them. "Come, come, everything is ready!"  
  
All of them began their way down the stairway, and strolled to the door. Xander blocked the way, but instead of saying something, he pushed the door in front of them and took a bow. "This is the town of Trabathia's thanks for collecting the Crystals… to save the world." Xander bowed as he said the comment towards the three of them. The crowd of people in front of the house clapped as they exited the house.  
  
"Well look at this." Zidane gave the people a smile and waved.  
  
Brooke and Garnet followed Zidane's example and gave people a wave also.  
  
"Okay! A one, a two, a one two three!" The band started in the background playing a fast-paced tune.  
  
"Well let's enjoy ourselves everyone!" Xander kicked off and started to dance with a lady mage in the front.  
  
Brooke went back up to Zidane. "Can I ask my sister for a dance?"  
  
Zidane smiled. "Sure," and pushed Garnet over to Brooke.  
  
"Well… ok." She locked hands with them, and they began to dance along with fast melody. "Haha, this is kind of fun!" Garnet smiled as Brooke and her took the square as Zidane watched the two dance together.  
  
Zidane heard whispers around him. "You know, almost looks like those two are family…" "Yeah I can see the resemblance in the eyes and face features…"  
  
As the crowed joined in, the music began to slow. Zidane walked up to Brooke and Garnet dodging his way through the mess of people. "May I butt in?" He smiled to Brooke, who let his grip slip from Garnet to let Zidane move in. They both gently set into the rhythm of the music.  
  
"What a journey this has been huh?" Zidane whispered across to her as they moved flawlessly together.  
  
A warm smile swept across her face. "Yes - but at least now we're safe for the moment. We are fortunate to have found Xander and the town of Trabathia." Her head went over his shoulder as they came closer together. They rocked back in forth in the twighlight of the night. The stars seemed to shine down at them with a brilliant light.  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
Later That Night - In the Living Room of Xander's House....  
  
Xander put the remaining slice of pie into his mouth. "Well, that was a nice meal, Brooke. Thanks!" He reached over and gave Brooke a pat on the back.  
  
"You're welcome." Brooke smiled over at Xander, who was scraping the last crumbs into his mouth.  
  
Zidane and Garnet finished their slices as well and gave Xander a complement.  
  
Zidane scratched his head, and looked over to Xander. "Say, Xander. I want to ask you something."  
  
Xander looked up from his completely cleaned plate to Zidane. "Yes?"  
  
Zidane whipped his mouth, and then continued. "Well, it's about the quest the three of us are doing right now… I want to know if you'd like to help us."  
  
Xander sat there for a moment, then cleared his throat. He twisted his pointy cap with his hands then put his hands into his pockets. "I want to show you all something. Follow me." He stood up from the table and headed his way up the stairway. The rest of the group followed him up, watching in anticipation for what he was doing. His tiny arm reached up to a candle in the hallway, and pulled it down towards him. The wall beside him moved to the side revealing a wooden ladder going to the roof. The soft clatter of voices was still heard from the outside from people still enjoying the party. "Come up." Xander climbed his way up the ladder, and stood on the roof waiting for all of them.  
  
As the last of them reached the roof, Garnet looked around. "Wow it's so beautiful up here! You can see everything!" They all looked around excitedly at all the scenery from the elevated position.  
  
Xander walked over to the other side of the roof as the others stared around at the town. He looked up into the stars as if he was searching for something.  
  
Zidane walked over to Xander and sat down beside him. "What's wrong?"  
  
Xander's yellow eyes glowed up at the sky, for a moment then shifted towards the ground. "When my father died… he told me that one day I'd have my own adventure as he did. I was there when he died - and he told all of us this. When he died, he said 'My memories will be a part of the sky' - and now I can feel his presence with me."  
  
Zidane brushed his hand through his hair and smiled to Xander. "Vivi was one of my best friends, he was like a brother to me. I was away when he died and I didn't know 'til after I got back to Alexandria… I almost fell apart after hearing what happened. But his heart was true and full of life. He never told anyone anything if he didn't truly mean it."  
  
Xander took his arms from his pockets and looked up at Zidane. "You're right. I have been waiting for this day for a long time… I will go with you!"  
  
They both smiled at each other. Brooke and Garnet had been watching from the other side of the roof. "Well looks like we got a new team member!" She looked over to Brooke who had settled himself down into a sitting position on the roof.  
  
"That's good. We're going to need all the help we can get with what were going to be up against…" Brooke's stare drifted out to the mass of swirling snow and distant howls around the town… 


End file.
